How to prepare a paella? A dinner on - Cuban with a mojito and a daiquiri of

On streets of Havana “Cadillacs“, “Buicks“ and “linkolna“ sparkling fresh paint at the time of Hemingway still travel about. The daiquiri in “Floridita“ is still sweet, the mojito in “Bodigita“ is still tart. And senile the creaking elevator in Ambos Mundos hotel still obediently rises by the fifth floor where 511 - y number stores the writer`s things - the American who once could become in Cuba the.

of Ambos Mundos: a paella

the Ambos Mundos Hotel located in the heart of old Havana is well-known first of all that here in 30 - e years of the last century Ernest Hemingway stopped. Favourite number of the writer (legends go that the first pages of the novel “For Whom the Bell Tolls“ exactly here were written) still belongs to it. At least, all things on places also, seemingly, never wait for the owner, but spirit of old times of Ham and did not leave these walls.

For the sake of the neighbourhood with the writer - it is possible to remove, for example, 510 - y or 512 - y number - to Ambos Mundos annually there come hundreds of tourists. However, many do not stay at historical hotel (quotations to the Cuban measures transcendental here), and are content with survey of number - the museum. But some of them go slightly further - more precisely, is slightly higher - the fifth floor. And above, on a roof of hotel, there is a restaurant with the original name Hemingway from where the beautiful view of Havana opens and where prepare the most tasty paella.

The traditional Spanish dish was fallen in love to inhabitants of Latin America long ago. Especially popular it became in Caribbean countries. Today it is difficult to present ethnic cuisine of Cuba without paella with seafood. And what the paella is! In one plate connect friable tenderness of the white rice seasoned with a saffron; improbable freshness of the mollusks and shrimps caught in the transparent sea only couple of hours ago; saturated taste of the vegetables which absorbed everything warmly tropical sun … It is difficult to present that such miracle can be created in own kitchen. But we will try.

There is a set of options of preparation of a paella - experts say that their not less than three hundred. We will be limited to one - and we will not be upset if at us it does not turn out to adhere to the recipe with an absolute accuracy. Pedantry - not the strength of Cubans, and in all aspects of life inspiration plays more important role, than instructions. So if suddenly you will want to experiment with ingredients - on health if only all components were to you to taste.

Anyway we will need a deep frying pan with thick walls (actually, the word paella and is meant by “frying pan“). Pour in it a little vegetable oil, it is the best of all - olive. Take couple of red paprikas, cut them with large straws and throw on a heated frying pan for roasting. There put several pods of green beans. Small crumble two - three segments of garlic and add to vegetables. Fry mix on average fire, so far pepper and haricot will not become soft. After that lay out them in a cup and for a while set aside aside.

Load into a frying pan the next portion of products - in advance defrozen mix of seafood (so-called seafood cocktail) and the chicken breast cut on small pieces. Fry these ingredients on quite strong fire during two - three minutes, and then add the made vegetables.

Put a pinch of a turmeric and a teaspoon of salt in a glass of dry white rice (the grades intended for pilaf well will approach). Carefully mix, so that rice was evenly painted in yellowish color. Fill up with this mix contents of a frying pan and at once fill in with two - three glasses of water. Instead of water it is possible to use fish broth - then taste of a ready dish will turn out more saturated. From above as ornament it is possible to put several royal shrimps.

Cover - but it is not dense - a frying pan a cover and leave a paella to pine on slow fire. Periodically check how there is a process, however try to keep at the same time from a temptation to mix a dish and to look, “at that there inside“. When almost all water boils away, try rice. If it seems too firm - add a little water and wait a little more. Rice has to turn out soft, but at the same time friable. We determine by this sign that the paella is ready if, of course, not to consider tremendous aroma which will fill kitchen.

It is the best of all to give a paella directly on a frying pan. Quite so do in old hotel Ambos Mundos.

of La Bodigita: mojito. El Floridita: the daiquiri

A literally two steps away from Ambos Mundos is the tiny bar La Bodigita - one or the other institutions which already half a century are proud of Hemingway`s words: “My mojito - in “Bodigita“, my daiquiri - in “Floridita“. La Bodigita - the cult town, noisy and motley. Walls of bar are used up by inscriptions in all languages of the world, plays a live orchestra (and how musicians manage to take place in this recess?) visitors crowd at a rack - and everything as one, mojitos order.

And there is no wonder, at least, for two reasons. In - the first how not to believe in a question of the choice of alcohol to Hemingway - he was a good judge of binge … In - the second, the refreshing drink with taste of mint and a lime as well as possible is suitable for the Cuban heat.

In our, not Cuban regions hot days happen too - so, we need ability to do a mojito especially as in it there is nothing difficult. Put several branches of mint, a spoon of cane sugar and the lime cut on quarters in a tall glass. Slightly suppress ingredients a tolkushka, then add two - three cubes of ice. From above pour rum (on a quarter of a glass) and sparkling water - on the remained volume.

Having tasted a mojito, it is possible to go to “a daiquiri cradle“ - quite so owners of the bar El Floridita call the institution. Here is much quieter, than in La Bodigita, but it is not less interesting. In the bar it is possible to listen to the Cuban songs and to look at the Cuban dances, it is possible to observe how the bartender one by one mixes the most different cocktails (and all of them are daiquiris!) and it is possible … to drink with Hemingway. He a bronze statue sits at a rack and, apparently, at all not against to clink glasses with glasses with anyone.

However, glasses drink seldom here - in the bar in the course glasses for martinis in which traditionally spill a daiquiri. Cocktail surely has to contain three ingredients: rum (nine parts), lime juice (five parts) and sugar syrup (three parts), but often add to it also other components. At the request of the guest in El Floridita will mix a daiquiri though with strawberry though with banana though with cocoa though with coconut milk … But the main thing in a daiquiri is ice. Crushed in the blender honor to a condition of snow, it forms a basis for the cocktail not similar on one other drink in the world as it is not similar to one other country of Cuba, the amazing island of freedom which became the second house for not less surprising American.